Rescue Me Are you ready?

Jack Dale ISPA Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor Evaluator

Sail Canada Advanced Cruising Instructor

ASA Advanced Coastal Cruising Instructor

IYT Yachtmaster Coastal Instructor

Background

Turicum entered in 2012 Vic-Maui

Second in Division 2

Return crew vetted by Sailcraft and me

Two indicated prostate concerns

Doctors cleared all crew

Background

Depart Lahaina 1800, July 29, 2012

Usual acclimatization to sea

Some motion seasickness

All seems well

Issues arise

One crew needs catheterize himself

We heave-to to steady the boat

All seems well

Boat not sterile

Too much motion

Dehydration an issue

All is not well

Decision Making Process

Seeking Assistance

Plan A – Radio

VHF Pan Pan Medical (Channel 16)

SSB Pan Pan Medical (2182 kHz)

No longer monitored by USCG (August 1, 2013)

Plan B – Sat Phone

Plan C – EPIRB

Last resort

Essential safety equipment

EPIRBS

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon

Essential offshore distress equipment

Broadcasts

Unique ID on 406 MHz

GPS position

121 MHz homing signal

EPIRB Registration

Owner details

Name of vessel

Type of vessel

Maximum crew

Email

Other radios

Call sign

MMSI

Manufacturer

Serial Number

Emergency contact

EPIRB / PLB

EPIRB

Registered to vessel

Requires re-registration

48 hour battery

Manual or automatic

Personal Locator Beacon

Registered to person

24 hour battery

Manual

CG Honolulu

Satellite phone call to CG Honolulu

Number in Communications Manual

Crew speaks with CG flight surgeon

Recommendation

Medical evacuation to ship

Out of helicopter range

Preparation

Six hour phone watch

First scenario

M/V Hanjin Vancouver

30 hours away

Night time rendezvous

Not good

Preparation

Second Scenario

MV Navarino

20 hours away

Daytime rendezvous

39° 10’N 150° W

Much better

The Middle of the Pacific

Rescue Options

Rescue Boat

Cargo Net

Jacob’s Ladder

Rescue Boat

NCL Star on June 26th 2012, 41ft Avenir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfuARONyFpc

Cargo Net

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5W6wm9b0QY

The Amver participating ship Atlantic Prosperity rescued 5 from their disabled sail boat Epiphany.

Jacobs Ladder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8UBLSYgBcg

Vessels Unknown

Mouse and Elephant

Turicum 44 feet

20,800 lbs

Navarino 1100 feet

102303 tons

Our Transfer

RCC Honolulu

Rescue boat

Navarino

Jacob’s ladder to pilot boarding station

1.5 meters above water

Amended to 4.5 meters above water

Crew member ambulatory

Our Transfer

Navarino maintains 3 knots

Provided a lee from wind and waves

Great conditions for transfer

My thoughts of

Brad James

Doug Sabbag

From Turicum Part 1

Video by Graham Dalton

From Turicum Part 2

Video by Graham Dalton

From Navarino

Success

Photo by Maggie Snee

Departure

Video by Graham Dalton

Damage to Vessels

Turicum

Broken starboard sidelight

Scratched rub rail

Two deflated fenders

Navarino

None

On to Los Angeles

Navarino arrived Los Angeles, August 10

Ambulance met ship at dock

Crew kept overnight for observation

Flew home

AMVER

Was (1958)

Atlantic Merchant Vessel Emergency Reporting (AMVER) System

Now

Automated (computerized) Mutual-assistance (its basic premise) VEssel Rescue (its stated purpose) System

AMVER

A worldwide voluntary ship reporting system operated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to promote safety of life and property at sea.

AMVER

Mission - quickly provide SAR authorities, on demand, accurate information on the positions and characteristics of vessels near a reported distress.

AMVER

Render Assistance - SOLAS

"... the master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance, on receiving a signal from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance, if possible informing them or the search and rescue service that the ship is doing so”

AMVER

Identifies the best ship or ships to respond to a ship in distress

Releases other vessels to continue their voyage

Saving fuel, time and payroll costs

AMVER

Participation

Free, voluntary, and open to merchant ships of all flags

Generally limited to ships over 1000 gross tons, on a voyage of 24 hours or longer

Enrollment has been expanded to accommodate vessels outside the normal criteria, such as cruise ships, research vessels and fish processors

SURPIC

AMVER provides SURface PICtures – SURPICs – to RCCs.

SURPIC Data

Ship's name

Radio call sign

Predicted latitude and longitude

Hours to intercept

Distance in nautical miles

New course in order to make the intercept

AMVER

August 2012 Density plot

: The monthly

plot totaled over 50 vessels

: The monthly

plot totaled between 15 and 49 vessels

: The monthly

plot totaled between 5 and 14 vessels

: The monthly

plot totaled 4 or fewer vessels

Empty Cells: No vessels

RCC and AMVER

Cannot contact AMVER directly

RCC does so

All communication through RCC

Until rescue imminent

VHF

Home Safely

CAPT. ATHANASIOS PAGKALOS Angeliki Vrana, wife of Capt. Pagkalos, Master of m/v Navarino, accepting the Award on his behalf from George Tsavliris, principal of sponsor Tsavliris Salvage Group.

Greek Seafarer of the Year

Lessons Learned

Help is available

It is easier to bring a 44 sailboat along side an 1100 foot container ship, than vice versa

Know how to use your equipment

Radar reflector should be “catch rain”

Lessons Learned

Communication is crucial

Inter vessel

Intra vessel

AMVER is a fabulous service

Satellite phone is a must

EPRIB / PLB for more serious situations

SSB & VHF not feasible

Lessons Learned

I wish that no rescue operations or medical evacuations ever need to take place, but if they do, I wish they go as smooth as our operation did.

CAPT. ATHANASIOS PAGKALOS

Lessons Learned

Lesson #1

If you do it right;

it is boring.

Special Thanks to

My Crew

Dave Maskell

Edward Rogers

Maggie Snee

Graham Dalton

Best wishes to Andy Dawes

Ben Strong (AMVER)

Vetted Presentation

Darren Berdine

Communications

Steve (Smackdaddy) Brothers

Advance copy of Cruising World article